sometimes women understand sports much better than you give them credit for. and they understand it in a different way that jimmy the greek never could.

the only thing hotter than a chick who writes for Spin, is a chick who cries over a baseball trade and then writes about it on her blog.

Saturday July 31

I can’t handle it. I can’t handle it. We had such a good thing going. We had “It”–the thing that turns mere work into an act of love; that makes success probable, and failure bearable–we had style, we had glamour and fun; we had honesty; we had chemistry.

Now, I just don’t know what. The Dodgers’ bosses took a gorgeous, weird, number-one team, a team of friends who really knew and respected each other, a team anchored by a brilliant catcher, who also happened to be an ace hitter, and they decided the team would be better off losing its single most important player. Its core. Sure, Gagne’s a rock star, but he stands on LoDuca’s shoulders. And LoDuca isn’t only brilliant; he loves Los Angeles.

I don’t know shit about baseball whatsoever; I didn’t even know that they traded players in the middle of the season. What the fuck is up with that? That’s like dumping your girlfriend in the middle of summer or right before Christmas: It’s out-of-sync with the rhythms of nature. You dump your loser jerk boyfriend or girlfriend between New Year’s and June.

And if your boyfriend or girlfriend is a totally kickass genius team-player who helps you to be more happy and fun and successful, you don’t dump them. You marry them. And you ride out the ups and downs of the season together.

I sound like a female Tony Pierce; it’s so weird. I don’t mean to.

This is from the Dodgers’ official corporate website, so I can only imagine how outraged everyone must actually be:

“The trade rocked the clubhouse, where the Dodgers have credited their close-knit chemistry as one factor in their success.

‘There’s a lot of sad faces in here,’ said veteran Jose Lima. ‘I don’t want to create a war, but breaking up a first-place team, wow, that’s something. We accomplished this together. We overcame adversity, people not believing in us. I don’t make the decisions.’

Shawn Green agreed.

‘Right now, it’s hard to fathom,’ he said.”

I didn’t used to like LoDuca because I thought he was just a cocky dope. But I came to understand that he’s salt of the earth: He’s the guy you want as your older brother; and even if he were your little brother, he’d live like your older brother. He’s Johnny on the spot, with a good heart.

“Paul Lo Duca cried and talked openly about the pain of leaving the only organization he has ever known. ‘I always dreamed about being a Dodger for my whole life, having a 20-year career, but I guess it didn’t happen. It’s tough, so many friends I’ve made along the way. The fans in L.A., they treated me so well. It’s tough.'”

I predict after they fire Jim Tracy, Paul LoDuca will be back.

That’s who they really should have traded. Traded him for a funny monkey with a tiny organ that plays “She Bangs.”